CASE REPORT article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Head and Neck Cancer
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1560133
This article is part of the Research TopicNext-Generation Technologies and Multidisciplinary Integration for Oral Cancer Diagnosis and TreatmentView all articles
Uncommon Pair: Tonsillar Carcinoma and Abrikossoff Tumor -Case Report and Review
Provisionally accepted
- 1Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- 2Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Lazio, Italy
- 3Department of Radiologic, Oncologic and Anatomo-Pathologic Sciences, Rome, Italy
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Lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC) is a rare malignancy within the head and neck region, histologically akin to undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma. It is uncommon outside the nasopharynx, particularly in the oropharynx and salivary glands. Granular cell tumors (GCTs), or Abrikossoff's tumors, are rare mesenchymal neoplasms of neural origin, frequently benign but with the potential for malignant transformation. This case report presents an unprecedented clinical scenario of a 62-year-old female patient diagnosed with an HPV/EBV-negative LEC of the right palatine tonsil, coupled with metachronous squamous dysplasia and a contralateral GCT of the actual vocal cord.Following initial presentation with cervical swelling, hoarseness, and dysphagia, diagnostic imaging and histopathological analyses confirmed the distinct co-occurrence of these rare entities. The patient underwent multidisciplinary treatment, including transoral robotic surgery (TORS), radical neck dissection, and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for LEC. Simultaneously, the granular cell tumor was managed surgically with close-margin excision, with ongoing surveillance for recurrence. A comprehensive treatment strategy meticulously addressed the unique pathological and therapeutic challenges posed by the simultaneous management of these neoplasms. This case underscores the critical importance of thorough diagnostic evaluation and multidisciplinary planning in managing complex oncological scenarios. The concurrent presentation of LEC and GCT in the head and neck region necessitates individualized approaches, integrating surgical precision and adjuvant therapies. The rarity of this co-occurrence highlights the need for further studies to refine diagnostic markers and therapeutic guidelines, improving patient outcomes.
Keywords: Tonsillar carcinoma, Lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC), Transoral robotic surgery (TORS), Abrikossoff tumor, Vocal cord abnormalities, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), Oropharyngeal Cancer (OPSCC), Tumor board
Received: 13 Jan 2025; Accepted: 21 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Valentini, MESSINEO and De Virgilio. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Filippo Valentini, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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